Eclipse
by wallflower
Summary: What if words said in jest are true?
1. Innocent For Once

Author's Note: I really hope that you, the reader, will enjoy my very very first L/J story. Feel free to leave me constructive criticism in helping me improve my writing. Thanks!!  
  
Disclaimer: Very unfortunately, nothing here belongs to me.  
  
Handkerchieves fluttered in the wind and hands waved themselves sore as the crimsom Hogwarts Express train drew out of Platform 9 3/4. It was crammed full with students laughing and talking about the past summer.  
  
  
  
In the Slytherins' train compartment, a dung bomb suddenly exploded much to the surprise of everyone. Within a minute, the compartment was empty, with scampering feet and disgusted squeals filling the air.  
  
  
  
If one had been observant enough to try and search for the origins of the dung bomb, they would have seen a piece of thin black wire leading to the bomb. But as it was, no one had thought to try and apprehend the culprit in their haste of getting out of their smelly compartment.  
  
  
  
Hoots and laughter soon filled the air, as the news relayed through the mouths of the other Hogwarts students at the speed of light.  
  
  
  
But no hoots and laughter sounded from the last compartment. In fact its occupants were quietly going about their own business. 2 were playing Wizards' Chess, and the rest were reading or talking quietly among themselves.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the door of the compartment burst opened. Severus Snape, with a furious expression, came stomping in towards 4 innocently-looking boys.  
  
  
  
"Who did that?!" He asked, his voice trembling with barely suppressed anger, as he glared at each of the 4 boys in turn.  
  
  
  
"Did what?" Asked Sirius Black as he looked up from his book.  
  
  
  
"Don't play innocent with me, Black. You know you did that!"  
  
  
  
"Did what?" Sirius asked again with easperation in his voice.  
  
  
  
"That foul dung bomb!!" Snape yelled.  
  
  
  
"We really have no idea what you are talking about, Severus." Remus Lupin said, as his Knight whacked James Potter's Bishop. (Sorry, but I have no idea about the rules of Chess.)  
  
  
  
"We have been sitting here ever since the train started moving." Added the smallest boy in the group, Peter Pettigrew.  
  
  
  
"Right! And I was only born yesterday," Snape said with a derisive snort, "the day you prats will actually sit still for a minute will be my lucky day."  
  
  
  
"And today might be your lucky day, Snape. Because if you still don't believe us, you can ask Lily." James Potter said, with a small smirk.  
  
  
  
Snape immediately whirled around and went pale as he saw that Lily Evans, the girl he had a crush on, was sitting right across the aisle. In his anger and haste, he had somehow forgotten about the other people in the compartment.  
  
  
  
"It's true, Severus, none of them had moved since the journey started. In fact, Arabella here had even started wondering whether have someone replaced the real Marauders with these statues here." Lily Evans said.  
  
  
  
"Er...," came Snape's eloquent reply as he slowly backed towards the door of the compartment. And then he tripped as he tried to get another look at Lily, who was hidden partially behind Arabella. Mortified at his own behaviour, Snape took to his heels and ran, his face fiery red with embarrassment.  
  
  
  
2 minutes passed, before the first sound sounded in the compartment. James Potter was desperately trying to stiffle his laughing in his hand but unfortunately his urge was stronger than his will. Within seconds the whole compartment was bellowing with laughter, some laughing so hard that tears came to their eyes or holding onto their sides. One was even rolling on the floor, squealing with laughter. Stangely, he reminded Lily of a pig rolling around in the mud.  
  
  
  
"You lost, Potter!" Sirius cried out.  
  
  
  
"Hey! You had something in your mouth to stop yourself from making a sound." James retorted  
  
  
  
"Yeah but I didn't make a noise, did I? And the rules were: The first one who makes a sound loses!"  
  
  
  
James only grunted. Signaling to the others he had given up on arguing with Sirius, who could argue for England, and had accepted his own loss of the bet.  
  
  
  
Early on, the Marauders had agreed that whoever who made a sound after whichever Slytherin who came into accuse them, would have to own the other 3 a favour each.  
  
  
  
"Speech! Speech!" Came a voice.  
  
And then 5 others, then almost the whole carriage was chanting for a speech by one of the Marauders.  
  
  
  
Grinning broadly, Sirius leapt atop one of the seats.  
  
  
  
"Fellow Gryffindors! I hope that you have had enjoyed the first prank that The Marauders have put up for you!" Cheers and appreciative screams filled the air. It was a wonder how only 20 people were there and could sound like rowdy spectators at a football match.  
  
  
  
Remus Lupin winked at Lily as Sirius really got into his little speech, sending the Gryffindors into more cheers. Unbeknownst to the rest, Lily had actually been the one who had planted and set off the dung bomb. The Marauders knew that no one would suspect the popular Gryffindor Prefect as the culprit and had therefore begged her in every know way possible to help them.  
  
  
  
Lily had only relented when James had threatened to shout out that he 'loved' her on Platform 9 3/4. Lily knew he didn't really meant to do it, but you could never know with James Potter. That boy had absolutely no shame at all! She still remembered the time when he had actually scooped her up into his arms and carried her all the way from the Transfiguration classroom to the Common Room, claiming he wanted to marry her! She would never ever forget that episode, and it still made her flush with embarrassment everytime someone brought it up, even though it had happened in their first year!  
  
  
  
Soon, James also caught her eye. And a wicked smile came onto his face as he mouthed the words "I love you" to her. Her startled expression only served to make his evil grin wider!  
  
  
  
At least she knew he was only teasing her, after all she wasn't the only girl who warranted this special treatment. James had uttered the words so many times to girls that it was almost his trademark. Almost. His trademark would always be his perpetually messy jet-black hair.  
  
  
  
And the journey went on, the train seemingly eating up the tracks sped on forward towards it destination.  
  
Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
  
  
Finally done!!  
  
Michelle 


	2. A Home Away From Home

Author's Note: I have finally finished this chapter. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers who reviewed my last chapter. Love you all!!! And I hope that this chapter can match up with your expectations of me. As always, please review this chapter and help me to improve my English and my writing. Thanks!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't anything at all. All of what I have written about so far belongs to J.K.Rowling. Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan belong to Nicholas Sparks!  
  
  
  
Smoothly, the Hogwarts Express glided to graceful stop in the middle of Hogsmeade Station.  
  
  
  
Without warning, the doors that run along the side of the carriages were flung open by excited students as they rushed out in torrents. Soon they had filled up the whole platform.  
  
  
  
"Firs' years. Firs' years. This way, please." Called Hagrid, shepherding the first years towards the boats that would bring them to Hogwarts.  
  
  
  
Lily smiled at the terrified looks of the younger students as they gazed up at the half giant, half man.  
  
She noticed Hagrid smiling wryly at her and she winked back in reply.  
  
  
  
In her first year, Lily had been equally afraid of Hagrid, appalled at his messy mane of hair and loud booming voice. In all her eleven years of muggle life, she had never came across someone as enormous in size as Hagrid. But she soon found out that he had an enormous heart to match as well.  
  
  
  
Noticing that the coaches were starting to move towards the Great Castle. Lily hurried to find her carriage in which her friends were patiently waiting for her.  
  
  
  
Finally finding it, she quickly scrambled into it just as it moved off.  
  
Sitting next to Arabella, she was dismayed to find that the four Marauders were sharing the carriage as well. Now she wouldn't have a minute of peace at all.  
  
  
  
And she was right.  
  
  
  
Two minutes into the ride. Sirius let of a Dr. Filbuster No-Heat Wet Start Fireworks.  
  
  
  
To celebrate another successful prank, he said.  
  
  
  
But it had earned him the fastest detention ever in Hogwarts history.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Settling into her seat at the Gryffindor table, Lily watched as Professor McGonagall brought a tattered old hat into the Dining Hall, settling it down on three-legged stool on a raised platform.  
  
  
  
Slowly, the Hat opened its mouth and launched right into a song.  
  
  
  
Lily could hear smothered gasps and see gaping mouths running wild in the midst of the first years. No doubts none of them had even seen a talking hat before.  
  
  
  
Her own mouth had opened so wide six years ago, that her tongue had supposedly been lolling on the ground so Arabella had said. But then it was only natural after all she was a muggle-born and had only just entered into a world where magic reigned supreme. If her tongue hadn't been lolling on the ground from the dozens of surprises she had in the beginning, she might as well had no tongue at all.  
  
  
  
"Carter, Landon." McGonagall announced.  
  
  
  
The Hat took awhile but soon it bellowed, "Gryffindor".  
  
  
  
Huge applause sounded from around her with loud hooting, courtesy of the Marauders.  
  
  
  
Lily's stomach suddenly grumbled, and it was then she realised that she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. She had been too nervous, about pulling that prank off successfully, to eat anything.  
  
  
  
Inadvertently, her mind began to feel with images of her favourite food.  
  
  
  
Piping hot gravy that flowed smoothly over mashed potatoes like lava flowing out of a volcano.  
  
A thick juicy piece of steak right-smacked in the centre of her plate, cooked medium-rare.  
  
Thick slices of bread slathered with butter and garlic, whose aroma could be smelled ten feet away, toasted to perfection.  
  
Three scoops of vanilla ice cream in a crystal bowl, practically drowning in chocolate sauce with a large cherry right on top!  
  
  
  
"Rrrr," her stomach grumbled again as 'Sullivan, Jamie' became a Ravenclaw.  
  
  
  
Finally, the last student was sorted. Lily could almost have kissed him in relief.  
  
  
  
But then Dumbledore stood up.  
  
  
  
To give his customary welcome speech.  
  
  
  
All Lily could do was to clench her fists in annoyance, praying for the fate of her stomach hoping that it could stand the test of time.  
  
  
  
"Welcome back, everyone. I trust that everyone had had an enjoyable summer and are all ready to work hard this year," said Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye. He, of course, knew full well that his students were never ready to work until one week before the examinations.  
  
  
  
"The staff and I have planned many activities this year, one of the main ones would be the dance that will be held at the end of the winter term. It would be held on the 20th of December and all are invited to attend. Dress robes welcomed though not mandatory. I hope that you will all enjoy yourself then. But for now, let us eat."  
  
  
  
The time Lily had been waiting for. In a second, her plate was filled to the brim.  
  
And in no time at all, it was empty.  
  
  
  
Arabella looked at Lily, wondering how Lily could cram so much food into her body and yet still maintain her slender figure. If she, Arabella, only ate half as much as what Lily ate. She would be so fat; she would never fit through doors!  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
After every plate and goblet had been cleaned, Lily led the first years Gryffindors towards the Common Room. As she lead, she pointed out the various paintings and warned them about the trick steps.  
  
  
  
Soon, the Fat Lady appeared.  
  
  
  
"Password, please. And look at that crowd of new faces!"  
  
  
  
"Listen up, everyone. The password to get into our Common Room is 'Carpe Diem'. Remember that no one from the other houses are allowed to know our password."  
  
  
  
The painting swung open, and the Common Room appeared.  
  
  
  
Decorated in red and gold, with tables, comfy armchairs and sofas scattered all around the room. It gave off an air of homeliness and coziness, which appealed to all the young Gryffindors immediately.  
  
  
  
Their home away from home. 


End file.
